September 988 Awareness Month: What to Know

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988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Free • 24/7 • Confidential • Call • Text • Chat

Why 988 is a strong option

• Trained crisis counselors respond quickly and de-escalate most situations without involving emergency services.
• You choose how to connect: call, text, or chat. English and Spanish are available; interpreters cover 240+ languages.
• Local routing connects you to in-state centers that know nearby resources.
• Veterans and service members press 1 or text 838255 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

What to expect

• Call: Brief menu, then a counselor who listens, checks safety, and co-creates a plan or referral.
• Text: Send any message to 988. You’ll get a quick intake, then a live counselor joins.
• Chat: Visit 988lifeline.org for web chat. ASL is available via videophone.

Myths vs facts

• Myth: Police always show up. Fact: Most contacts resolve remotely; emergency dispatch is rare and reserved for imminent danger.
• Myth: They track your exact location. Fact: 988 does not function like 911 location-tracing.
• Myth: 988 is only for suicide. Fact: It’s for any mental-health or substance-use crisis, and for concerned helpers to someone needing help.

Lower the stress of reaching out

• Pick the mode that fits you: text, call, or chat.
• Use a one-line opener: “I’m overwhelmed and need help staying safe.”
• State your preferences: “No police unless there’s imminent danger; please help me make a coping plan.”
• Keep micro-notes: key stressor, meds/substances today, what’s helped before, who to call after.

This blog/newsletter/post has been compiled for your education and is not a substitute for emergency care. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your closest ER

Sources: SAMHSA and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Warmest,
Your Gold Counseling Team